Zax: The Camp
by AraliaeShade
Summary: What would happen if the characters from Casualty were never doctors/nurses and all met working at a kids summer camp? Time to find out...Mainly a Zax fic but dashes of other pairings too. AU, rated T just in case. Thanks for reading! ABANDONED and restarted following different pairings. Araliae x
1. Meet and Greet

**So this is my first Casualty fic and also my first multi-chapter fic too. It's predominantly a Zax fic but with a dash of some other pairings too such as Connie/Jacob and Rita/Iain. Not sure how this is going to turn out but I hope to be updating at least every week but it could easily be more often. Once I return to school, I will be able to have a proper timetable.**

 **I am always open to feedback, especially constructive criticism as that is what helps me to make my writing better. So if you've enjoyed this first chapter, hated it, loved it or loathed it, please leave a review to let me know. It may only take you a minute but it could help my writing for a very long time.**

 **Any ideas, let me know by review or private message and I'll be sure to include them.**

 **Thanks for reading, means he world to me!**

 **Araliae x**

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Chapter 1 – Meet and Greet

Zoe Hanna drove along the path in between the trees, listening to the gravel crunching beneath the wheels. She could already smell the pine trees surrounding her and she had only been in the woods for five minutes. Coming to a fork in the road, she veered off to the left, following the directions the Sat Nav was barking at her.

"You have reached your destination." It spoke in a sing song robot voice and Zoe couldn't help but grin at the sight. The five cabins were standing in a large ring in front of her with the activity centre standing proud in the middle. Sunlight poured through the gaps in the leaves above, basking the entire scene in a warm evening glow. She quickly parked her car round the back and walked up to the activity centre. As always, she was wearing a pair of killer heels and she silently scolded herself as she slowly sank into the gravel with each step. Just as she was nearing the door, she stumbled backwards and felt two strong arms catching her before she fell. The stranger gently lifted her back onto her feet and Zoe turned to face him (she was almost sure it was a man).

The man in question (for he was, indeed, a man) had unruly brown hair and piercing green eyes. He was obviously reasonably young and Zoe took an instant liking to him, though she would never admit it.

"Heels? Really? It's a children's holiday camp not a work meeting." His words were laced with playful teasing, not malicious or mean in the slightest and yet Zoe would, usually, roll her eyes and mutter in response to such comments. Today, though, her good mood just couldn't be spoiled and so she let him off.

"I realised that the moment I got here, having heels as your trademark is not a good idea at all." They both laughed for a moment, Zoe simply enjoying the happiness of it all. She was so excited for the experience.

"Max Walker." The man spoke after a pause of comfortable silence where they both took in the place around them. He held his hand out somewhat awkwardly in what appeared to be a handshake, of sorts. Zoe fought to suppress a giggle as she watched his hand hang in the air.

"Zoe Hanna." She replied, shaking his hand and smiling up at him.

"Well Zoe Hanna, shall we?" Max held his arm out to her and she took it with a grateful smile, making her way to the door feeling a lot more confident than she had before. Max even held the door for her and she felt herself blush slightly at the gesture which only amused him more.

When the two finally made it inside they were astounded by the size of the place. It was one huge hall split into different sections; one for arts and crafts, one for team building and many more. There was also around 20 people in the middle of the room, chatting idly to each other. As the two latecomers entered, a stern looking brunette at the back of the hall stood on some sort of stage and gathered everyone's attention.

"Hello everyone, my name is Connie Beauchamp and I am the Camp Leader here at Holby City Summer Camp. We aim to give children who live in Holby the chance for them to get away and explore the wilderness in an exciting five day course. You have been asked to come today, three days before the course starts, so that we can begin some team building and training exercises first." There were nods from many members of the crowd and many sideways glances to check out new co-workers.

"Here at camp we have roles for each member of our staff which I trust you all know as I sent you them and what they entail through email. There is, however, the small matter of Cabin Leaders. There are five cabins here in HCSC that compete against each other throughout the week. Each cabin has a leader and a deputy that also stay in the cabins with the children to oversee any pastoral issues and check every child is having fun. I've put up a list on the notice board over there of all the cabin leaders so I'll leave you to check the list and mingle this evening before we start the activities tomorrow." Connie smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes, and stepped down from the stage.

Max and Zoe were still standing at the back of the hall, arm in arm, unnoticed by the crowd in front of them. Max leaned down to whisper in Zoe's ear.

"Shall we check the boards, m'lady?" The teasing note in his voice was back and Zoe dug him in the ribs lightly.

"Come on then." She sighed in mock defeat and the two wandered over to the board, both reluctant to release each other's arms but not quite understanding why. As they drew closer, Zoe found herself hoping to be in a cabin with Max and was trying to find a reason for her feelings. She ended up settling on the fact that he was pretty handsome and she just wouldn't mind having him around.

"Would you look at that?" Max said, snapping Zoe out of her thoughts. She followed Max's gaze and scanned the noticeboard. Her eyes rested on one spot in particular.

'Squirrel Cabin Leader – Zoe Hanna'

Smiling to herself, she searched for the name of her deputy.

'Squirrel Cabin Deputy – Max Walker'

Her smile grew into a large grin as she looked back at Max who mirrored her expression. They stood like that for a few moments before Zoe spoke, excitement dripping from every word.

"I suppose we'll be seeing a lot of each other then, Mr Walker." If it was even possible, his grin became wider than ever.

"Right you are Mrs Hanna." He replied, but Zoe began laughing as he spoke. His grinning face suddenly turned into a puzzled one. "What did I say?"

"Mrs? I'm not married!" Zoe said between laughs and Max smirked inwardly.

"Oh sorry, I just thought…well it doesn't matter." Max trailed off and didn't finish his sentence. Zoe smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry about it, I'm going to go meet our co-workers, coming?" Zoe asked happily and Max nodded, grateful that his slip was ignored. Upon noticing that they still had their arms linked, both swiftly separated awkwardly and walked over to the crowd rather quickly.

They approached a small group of four first and a bubbly young girl, Robyn, instantly noticed and befriended the two newcomers to the group. She took it upon herself to make the introductions.

"This is Charlie," Robyn pointed to an older man with a kind, gentle face who waved slightly at the mention of his name. "Tess," she gestured to a mature woman who Zoe instantly took a liking to as her eyes sparkled when she smiled. "And this is Lofty!" Robyn said and the man next to her nodded shyly, though he looked friendly enough.

Just then, Connie returned to the stage and explained that those without a cabin must follow her to the staff cabin but others who manage children's cabins may stay in those for the night. Everyone filed out the door and headed for their accommodation. Max and Zoe found the Squirrel Cabin took ages to find the squirrel cabin as they went the wrong way from the activity centre but neither minded too much. When they finally arrived, Max used the key he'd been given to unlock the door.

"Well, this is nicer than I expected." Max said in a tone that may or may not have been sarcastic. Zoe entered next and groaned. It was dark, dusty and, in her view, completely disgusting. The beds were all bunk beds and, though there seemed to be another section for the adults she didn't expect much from it.

"It's a dump, Max" she stated bluntly causing a laugh from him.

"Yeah, I know. Maybe our bit will be better?" Max sounded skeptical.

"Let's see, shall we Mr Walker?" Zoe replied in a flirty tone though she inwardly scolded herself for being too forward. Max merely smirked at her.

"As you wish, _Miss_ Hanna." Max replied, striding over to the door that sectioned off their part of the cabin and opening it with a flourish. Zoe giggled and stepped inside. One bed. There was only one bed. It may have been large but that didn't make it any better. She glanced over at Max and could tell he was thinking the same.

"I'll call that Connie woman." Zoe said quickly resulting in a brief, awkward nod from Max. Zoe got out her phone and let out a small gasp when she saw the time. Midnight. She showed Max and he sighed.

"I wouldn't dare call that scary woman at this time of night but you can if you like." Max shuddered at the thought of the formidable Mrs Beauchamp.

"Good point. I guess we'll have to make do." Zoe smiled slightly. Though she could tell she liked Max, sharing a bed a few hours after meeting him was not something she particularly wanted to do. Max shared a small smile and gestured to the bathroom.

"Ladies first." Zoe wandered into the bathroom and changed into a blue t-shirt and pink shorts, her chosen pyjamas for the night. She cleaned her face of makeup, brushed her hair before finally pulling on her comfy slippers and exiting the bathroom. Max was lying on the bed on his phone but looked up as he heard the door click open. Zoe could have sworn she heard him mutter something but she waved that thought away.

"Took you long enough." There he was, teasing her once again.

"I'm a woman, deal with it." She huffed but he could tell she was joking too. Max budged over a let Zoe clamber into bed. A silence fell over them as they both lay there, the atmosphere a little awkward once again.

"I'm just going to use the bathroom." Max said quickly and Zoe nodded hurriedly. As he left the room, she found herself smiling, going over the day that she'd had and her random conversations with Max when they were trying to find the cabin. Just as she'd thought of the perfect teasing remark to make when he came out of the bathroom, her eyes began to close and she drifted off to a fitful sleep.

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 **Hope you enjoyed! It's a bit slow to start, maybe, but I promise it gets better! Also, let me know if this chapter is too short or long and I'll listen!**

 **Araliae x**


	2. The Team Unites

**First of all, apologies for the huge gap between chapters. I won't make excuses because they'll only be ones that you've heard before, but I hope not to have such a huge gap next time. Because I was anxious to give you something, this chapter might be a tad shorter.**

 **Wow. Just wow. I'm so happy with the response so far and we're only one chapter in! It makes me so excited to write more for you so I suppose I should really get cracking! Not much Zaxspiration currently on the actual show (curse you BBC!) so reading tons to get me ready to write. If you have any recommendations on what to read (or even if you just want a good old Casualty chat tbh, I'm pretty sad and lonely) then PM me!**

 **I have also recently made a tumblr which is basically just about Casualty and Zax and whatnot (maybe some Doctor Who too, I'm British!) so come along! It's just AraliaeShade and I'd love to make some new friends who have the same interests as me! (Starting to sound desperate now, huh? I promise I am not that sad…much).**

 **The reviews I got really made my day so thank you to each one of you. If you left a review, and you aren't a guest, (sorry I didn't reply to guests!) you may want to read the end bit in bold as I have replied to each of you personally. If not then enjoy this new chapter!**

 **Araliae xx**

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 _Chapter 2 – The Team Unites_

Zoe awoke to the sound of running water, rushing through her ears like a waterfall. Her eyes didn't open and yet her senses told her it was too early so she snuggled down, trying to drift off once more. She focused on the water to calm her but instead began to think about where it was coming from, what was making the noise.

"Is it too late now to say sorry?" A pitchy voice sung through the bathroom door and suddenly Zoe was completely awake. Max.

"Cause I'm, missing more than just your body" Max sung louder, and Zoe was sure he was singing Justin Beiber to annoy her even though he would have no idea that it would annoy her. However much his songs might be catchy to others, Zoe couldn't stand them and, sighing, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and threw off the covers. She tried, and failed, to block out the noise, covering her ears with her hands as he continued.

"Yeah I know, I know, that I let you down, is it too late to say sorry now?" Max was still getting impossibly louder to the point where Zoe couldn't stand it any longer.

"Max?" She shouted, secretly enjoying the way his name rolled off her tongue so easily. The singing continued.

"Max?!" She was almost screeching now. Max went quiet and a few moments later the shower ceased.

"Be out in a minute." He called back and Zoe smiled to herself at the peace and quiet and took the time to check her phone and reply to her "Good luck at camp!" texts. About ten minutes later Max emerged, towel wrapped around his waist, hair wet and messy.

"Good morning!" He smiled, that lopsided grin slowly worming its way into Zoe's heart, which, invariably, had begun to beat a little faster. Zoe simply glared at him though, feigning annoyance. Max's grin fell a little. "What?" He asked.

"Bieber? Really?" Max placed a hand over his hand, pretending to be hurt.

"Who doesn't like a bit of Bieber?" though he was trying incredibly not to smirk, Zoe could see the laughter in his eyes.

"Whatever, I'm going to have my shower," Zoe rolled her eyes and sulked her way into the bathroom, secretly smiling to herself once inside.

Little did she know Max was allowing himself a satisfied smile of his own on the other side of the door.

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Later on, once everyone had dressed and gotten ready, each camp helper was stood in a line I'm front of Connie Beauchamp, ready to start their team building activities.

"Today we are going to split into two groups as I want the group leaders to do some different exercises to the normal helpers. Therefore I want all group leaders to stick with me and the rest of you go with my colleague, Serena Campbell. We will meet up for lunch and at the end of the day. For now say your goodbyes."

Waves and greetings were exchanged whilst the helpers split into their groups. Left with Connie was Zoe, Max, Noel, Big Mac, Dixie, Ian, Ethan, Cal, Charlie and Tess. Everyone was exchanging nervous glances with each other, all a little afraid of Connie. To their surprise, she smiled at them.

"No need to be scared, I won't bite. First off today, we're going to be doing a climbing exercise in your pairs so follow me to the trees!" Connie beckoned for everyone to follow her.

Zoe sighed and wiped her brow; the walk was much longer than he had expected. Suddenly, she heard a pair of feet fall into step with hers and she glanced upwards. Max. She mustered a smile, though inwardly felt embarrassed for how hot she was getting.

"Not up to the walk, Hanna?" Not even a 'Miss' this time, Zoe thought to herself. Though she knew he was teasing, she couldn't stop herself from becoming defensive.

"I am perfectly capable of walking a few miles, you know, Walker. It's just that I'm wearing black and black absorbs heat." Zoe retorted, proud of herself for her cover. Max was having none of it.

"Sure. Whatever you say, smarty." Max smirked, glad to get the better of her. Zoe flushed even more but bit her tongue, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. They walked in silence for a while but it wasn't awkward in the slightest. Both parties felt rather enlightened by the other's presence.

After about another half an hours walk, Connie indicated that they had arrived. Zoe gulped. Among the trees, wooden planks were suspended on ropes, slowly ascending higher and higher to the point where you couldn't even see where they ended. She took a deep breath, trying to conceal her fear of heights from the others around her. She was so focused on her own breathing that she missed the safety briefing and was in total shock when everyone begun getting their equipment. She stayed stuck to the same position, not knowing how to move anymore.

Max was one of the first to be all set up. He was ecstatic. Anything with heights had always been a challenge, an adventure to him. But then he saw Zoe. Pity overtook his features as he pieced together what was wrong. A fear of heights. Since Zoe had been such a strong personality so far, Max would never have predicted it but there she was, frozen in place, seemingly paralysed. After a few moments, he made his way over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes shot up to meet his in a terrified gaze and, in that moment, she looked so small and fragile that Max thought she might break if he held her.

"Zoe?" It was the first time he'd ever used her real name and it startled her, so much so that she snapped out of her trance. She shook her head slightly and made her way over to the equipment before realising she had no idea what she was doing.

"Could you..?" Zoe began but had no idea how to ask for help. She always had been stubborn. Max smiled, however, and showed her exactly what to do, helping her to prepare.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Max asked cautiously, not wanting to coddle her but also concerned. Zoe simply faked a bright smile. Connie clipped everyone onto the wire above the course.

"This is a Pairs course so you will have to work together to complete it," Max caught Zoe's eye and she gave him the smallest genuine smile, "Not a competition though, so take your time everybody and good luck!"

Progress was slow at first, until everyone spread out. Zoe and Max were at the back as Zoe had taken a while to get her equipment and Max was being extremely patient and kind. Once they had gotten to a narrow beam instead of real obstacles, Zoe stopped.

"I'm sorry, I'm slowing you down, you can go on ahead," Zoe looked down, embarrassed. Max sighed gently with a soft, pitying smile.

"Hey," Max said firmly, putting a finger under Zoe's chin to guide her deep chocolate eyes to his crystal ones, "You are not slowing me down and, even if you were, I wouldn't care. I'm enjoying doing this with you, Miss Hanna." Zoe flushed slightly at his last sentence, getting more and more flustered as she stared deeper into his eyes. They were intoxicating. Realising what she was doing, she regained controlled and stepped backwards, forgetting that they were on a beam high in the treetops. She shrieked as her foot didn't make contact with wood and she slipped backwards. Max's eyes widen and he reacted instinctively, grabbing Zoe's waist and pulling her into himself as close as possible. Still in shock, Zoe simply reached out her arms and clung on to him, burying her face in his chest. Her breathing was rapid and she was shaking. Max whispered soothing words into her ear.

"Shhh, it's alright. It's all going to be alright…" For the first time in a very long while, Zoe really believed that it would be.

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 **ZaxCasualtyHolby – Wow. Thank you so so much. You have no idea how excited I was to read your review as I have been reading your work for quite some time now and it was part of what inspired me to write fanfiction all together. I am such a huge fan so your comment means a lot! Xx**

 **CasualtyFan26 – So glad you enjoyed it! Amazed that my writing could bring anyone a shred of happiness. I'm glad you liked the length too, 2000 words seems about right if I update often enough. Thanks again xx**

 **read-a-holic17 – Glad to hear it! Hope you love this just as much xx**

 **Tanith Panic – Such great advice, some that I will definitely take on board. I think I am too much of a people pleaser and always worry about what others think rather than writing for myself which I should be doing. Great to hear I'm doing alright anyway, so thank you! Xx**

 **I got a few guest reviews as well that were just lovely so thank you very much for those too! You are all such wonderful people so thank you for your kind words!**

 **Also, who else was emotionally broken over Zax in the last ep? We must live in hope, however hard it is!**

 **Araliae xx**


	3. Muddy Crawls and Waterfalls

**Hello again!**

 **I am super proud of myself for getting this written pretty quickly. Also kinda proud of the rhyming chapter title :) I certainly didn't want to leave you guys hanging for as long as last time so I basically just poured all of my spare time into this chapter. Hopefully you'll enjoy this one!**

 **Thanks again for the reviews and also for your warm welcomes on Tumblr, I am quite taken by the Shoelace Fandom and your friendly personalities have made my entrance all the more exciting for me!**

 **To the person who asked whether we'll be seeing any other pairings in this fic: yes! This is primarily a Zax fic and I don't want to lose that quality however some Riain will definitely make an appearance, perhaps Dyfty friendship, Cal and Ethan brotherly love and maybe some others. Haven't quite decided who or when but it will happen as and when I get some inspiration for it. Thanks for asking!**

 **So enjoy and remember that every review makes my day that little bit brighter (although so do views so don't feel you need to!). Let me know also if you have any specific requests and I'll try to make them happen.**

 **Araliae xx**

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 _Chapter 3 – Muddy Crawls and Waterfalls_

Whilst Max was helping her back down the treetop course, thinking it was wise not to continue, Zoe wouldn't let go of him. Her knuckles were turning white from her death grip around his neck. Funnily enough, Max didn't mind though he didn't quite know why. All the way down, whispered words of encouragement floated through the air. Zoe touched down on the ground and still refused to move her head from its position on Max's chest.

"Come on Zoe, it's all ok, we're on the ground again," Max rubbed her back comfortingly until she finally came to her senses. She slowly raised her head and looked him straight in the eyes, hers still filled with glistening tears.

"Thank you," she squeaked in a tiny voice that only Max could have heard. He simply smiled and tentatively took her back into his arms, relaxing when she returned his hug. He pulled away and searched her eyes for any worry that lingered.

"Now listen; you do not need to be embarrassed about what just happened, ok? You almost fell and I would have been just as scared as you were. So I want no apologising, Hanna or you'll be sleeping on the floor!" His cheeky persona had replaced the concerned one in an instant as he realised that Zoe was ok. Zoe chuckled and wiped her eyes.

"Yes boss," she giggled as she saluted him. Her face became serious once more as she stared into his eyes again, getting list in them as she had done before. He began to get lost in her eyes too, ones of hope and sadness and fear all at once. Before she could stop herself, Zoe leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss on Max's cheek.

"I meant it. Thank you." She walked away quite quickly so he couldn't react to what she had just done, feeling like an idiot. He was years younger than her and probably saw her as some sort of mother figure or something. She shook her head and kept on walking over to the equipment area without a glance backwards.

If she had glanced backwards, even just for a brief moment, she would have seen the light dancing in Max's eyes and his hand slowly reach up to touch his cheek in awe.

Max and Zoe stayed firmly on the ground as the others finished the course with a leap of faith. They half-avoided each other as they watched, Zoe out of embarrassment and Max because he didn't want to confront some of the feelings that were bubbling up in his stomach. Once everyone was done, the team moved on to the next activity; the army-style obstacle course.

Starting with some climbing walls and a rope swing, the course ended with a clamber through tyres and an army crawl under netting.

Zoe wasn't looking forward to the muddy parts but the actual obstacles sounded fun (now that they weren't in the air!) and she did go there to loosen up a little. She decided to just go for it and thought that, if she had to do the course with Max again, that would make it twice as fun. Although she wasn't sure how to get over her embarrassment.

Max was excited too, now that they weren't at height, he hoped that he and Zoe would be able to work as a proper team. He was really starting to warm to the woman, even though he didn't really know much about her yet. He made a mental note to get to know her more that evening.

"Congratulations on completing the treetop course everyone, now onto the really gritty work! In the same pairs, you'll be working together to get to the finish. Unlike last time, however, this is a race. The first pair to have both got over the finish line skip today's forfeit," Connie seemed more relaxed now and wasn't as stern.

"Forfeit? I am not doing any forfeits…" Cal countered causing Connie to regain her icy exterior once more as she rested her killer glare on him.

"I suppose you shall just have to win then, Mr Knight," Connie raised a challenging eyebrow at him and he flushed as the rest of the team giggled, "Everyone has 5 minutes to get changed into the clothing laid out for you and return to the start line so that we can begin."

People made a break for the shack nearby and dressed in the mini changing cubicles inside. Zoe and Max were first to emerge, smiling at each other shyly as they made their way towards the start line.

"Nervous?" Zoe almost rolled her eyes, expecting his comment to be sarcastic but stopped as she noticed the concern laced in his features. She felt her heart swell as she gave him a confident shake of her head.

"Excited," she smiled, "You?"

"Very excited. We might actually have a change of winning this thing, you know, I've calculated the odds."

Zoe shot him a sceptical look.

"You have, have you?"

"Yeah. Tess and Charlie haven't got a chance, Noel and Big Mac haven't got a chance, Ethan and Cal will only fight, Iain and Dixie can do it physically but they'll just laugh too much and fall off things. We are practically winners already." Max grinned as Zoe let out a laugh, and found himself entranced as she threw her head back and the laughs flowed like a babbling brook.

"You've really thought this through, huh?" she said between laughs. Max chuckled and began speaking but Connie cut him off.

"Alright everyone, good luck." Max and Zoe locked eyes and nodded, getting into a ready position.

"On your marks…" Zoe's brain swirled with adrenaline.

"Get set…" Max's heart was pounding. He was so ready for this.

"GO!" Connie blew a whistle and the five teams ran full pelt towards the first obstacle. Unfortunately for them, Charlie and Tess's 'full pelt' wasn't quite the same as the others and so they lagged behind from the start.

Zoe and Max reached the first obstacle: a climbing wall with ropes.

"Let's do this Zo," Max yelled to Zoe and despite the fact that she was running, she felt a smile fall upon her face at the new nickname he had given her. Zoe nodded briefly before climbing the wall nimbly, not even touching the rope. Max watched astounded. He tried to follow her, secretly not wanting to be outdone but slipped and had to cling onto the rope. Zoe giggled before pulling him up, with considerable effort.

"You're like some Spiderman, you are," Max commented. Zoe suppressed another chuckle; yet more nicknames?

"So I guess that makes you Mary Jane?" Zoe smirked at him and he grinned back before they both ran forwards.

They came to the second obstacle, a rope swing over a lake. Zoe glanced at Max and they both clutched the rope at once and screamed as they pushed off the bank and swung back and forth over the lake. Max's arm quickly snaked its way around Zoe to keep her close and, whilst she usually would have minded, she couldn't bring herself to care with Max.

After gaining enough momentum, they nodded to each other and leaped for the other side of the river, both landing sprawled on the floor. Max helped Zoe up before they took off again. The other teams weren't too close to them but they didn't know whether they were behind or in front.

They breezed past a few more obstacles until they came to the tyres. Muddy sand caked the ground and, though they were a few metres away, Zoe and Max's feet were already sunken deep into the ground. Very deep. In fact, they seemed to be…sinking? A lightbulb went off in Zoe's head.

"Max! Its quicksand!" she shouted to him and he stared at her in horror. Although there were people standing by if they sunk too deep and weren't in any danger, they were in severe danger of losing if they couldn't move.

"I'll pull you out first and then you can pull me," she added, grasping onto his upper arms with both hands. Max did the same to her arms and shook his head.

"Ladies first," he smirked and pulled her out of the sand in one swift movement. She squealed slightly as he lifted her into the air and placed her back down on the ground.

"Idiot," Zoe mumbled, struggling to pull Max out of the abyss he was sinking into. After a few seconds she finally managed to dig her feet into normal mud beside them and leant backwards, pulling him out and sending them both flying at the same time. Max landed half on top of Zoe and she felt herself flush once again. He quickly got up and held out a hand to help her.

"Sorry," he smiled sheepishly before dragging Zoe by the hand to the last obstacle. The army crawl. Zoe took a deep breath in to steady herself as she looked on at the mud she was about to wade through. Max dived under the netting and began to wriggle through, the mud splattering his face. Zoe sighed and quickly caught up with him, groaning as felt the squelch beneath her.

"Almost there Spiderman!" Max yelled, not stopping to look back at her.

"Go on then Mary Jane!" she replied, moving quicker with a new determination. After what seemed like an age, Max finally reached the end. He jumped up and sprinted over the finish line, Zoe not far behind.

"Yes Zoe! We won!" Max hugged Zoe, even going as far as to pick her up and twirl her around, Zoe laughing the entire time.

"Hate to break up whatever this is, but we won..." Cal interrupted. Max put Zoe down suddenly and they turned. There were Ethan and Cal with medals around their necks.

"What?" Zoe asked, confused.

"We won, we got here before you, end of," Cal smirked and Max and Zoe's faces dropped.

"For once, there was no fighting!" Ethan added, fist bumping his brother. Cal put his arm around Ethan's neck.

"Just good ol' brotherly love, eh?" Cal smiled jokingly. Zoe glanced at Max and they both knew what was coming.

"You guys can be the first to do the forfeit!" Connie smiled with a hint of smugness in her voice. Max's eyes widened. "Follow me!"

Max and Zoe sulked as they followed behind Connie until she stopped abruptly. Zoe almost walked into her causing Connie to give her a sharp look.

"All I want you guys to do is jump," Connie said happily pointing downwards. Zoe and Max craned their next to see a rushing waterfall just ahead of them. Zoe's mouth dropped open.

"You can't be serious Mrs Beauchamp?" Zoe panicked.

"Deadly serious, Miss Hanna," she smiled and, with that, left them to it.

Even Max looked worried this time. Zoe was conflicted. She didn't think she could really do this but she wanted to prove to herself that she could. She was muddy anyway and needed a wash, that's what she told herself.

"Together?" she asked Max timidly. He smiled shakily and took her hand in his. It slot perfectly into place.

"Together." He replied.

They made their way to the edge of the cliff. Water rushed below their feet and Zoe forced herself not to look down.

"On 3," Max began.

"1…"

"2…"

"3!" he shouted giving Zoe's hand a squeeze as they both jumped into the water, screaming the whole way down and plunging into the iciness below.


	4. Misunderstandings and Happy Endings

**Finally! Here is the long awaited fourth instalment of Holby City Summer Camp and I am super excited to be posting this! This is the most action-packed chapter so far and ultimately the most fluffy. From here, the story really gets started! Already starting chapter 5 so that should be up soon too!**

 **For the anon on tumblr who asked for the Seasons fic, the first chapter is soon, I promise! I am so sorry it is taking me this long, I just want it to be perfect!**

 **I am taking prompts for oneshots or drabbles so please message me either on here or on tumblr and I shall be happy to oblige! I am happy to write any Casualty or Holby pairing however I do not write smut I'm afraid so please don't ask. Sorry!**

 **Also I know the title says "Happy Endings" but this isn't the end! I just wanted another rhyming title to be honest...what can I say?**

 **As always, reviews make my day, really, so let me know what you think!**

 **Araliae xx**

Misunderstandings and Happy Endings

Downwards they fell, Max shouting happily and Zoe screaming in terror. Soon they plunged into the water, creating a large splash that cocooned around them. Zoe waved at Max in the cold and he waved back before signalling upwards. Zoe nodded and pushed her legs out, making her way towards the light.

Her head cut through the surface of the water and emerged into the sunlight. Her hand was still clutching Max's and he reappeared seconds later. He looked at her and they both burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all. Whilst laughing, Zoe threw her arms around Max's neck as a hug in a sudden surge of confidence. After the initial shock, Max's arms came around her waist and he hugged her back, burying his face in her hair.

"Thanks," Zoe whispered into his shoulder.

"What for?" Max asked, pulling away a little to look at her. Zoe smiled shyly.

"Everything," Zoe whispered, looking right into Max's eyes. Max stared back, both of them completely lost in each other. Suddenly, the water had disappeared and all that was left was them. Max leaned in slowly, as if giving Zoe time to pull away if she wanted to. Zoe got impatient and instantly leaned in and kissed him softly. For a few moments, nobody else existed at all, they forgot their situation entirely.

They both pulled away at the same time, breathing heavily. Zoe sighed and looked away, embarrassed. She forced herself to think logically. Max was probably around ten years younger than her. He probably wasn't even looking for a proper relationship as she was. What would someone as amazing as Max see in her anyway? Even if he was, it wouldn't work. It just wouldn't, she told herself firmly.

Max's mind was racing. He watched as Zoe sighed and looked away from him and his heart sunk. He had thought that maybe this kiss would mean something to her as it did to him. Obviously not if she was sighing, probably thinking it was a mistake. He could begin to feel a headache coming on and, instead of waiting for an explanation, he quietly waded out of the water and ran back towards the cabins.

Zoe prepared herself for what she was about to say, knowing that if she looked into his eyes that she wouldn't be able to say it. She liked Max. That was undeniable. But, as her logical self kept reminding her, it just wouldn't work. Breathing in deeply, she looked back to where Max was. But he wasn't there. He had gone.

Zoe's body sagged in disappointment. So he definitely didn't want anything to do with her then. Though this may have saved her from that horrible conversation, she couldn't help but feel crushed. It was that moment that Zoe realised this wasn't just one of her stupid crushes, she really liked Max. She supposed it didn't matter anymore anyway, he had quite obviously shown his feelings. She slowly swam to the banks and got out, beginning the long trudge back to the cabins.

* * *

Around two hours later and Zoe still hadn't arrived at their cabin. It was beginning to get dark outside and Max was worried. As soon as he had left, he regretted it, wishing he hadn't been such a coward. He knew he should have heard her out first and he was kicking himself for it. But now he was truly scared. It had only taken him around thirty minutes to walk home and even if she was walking slowly it should never take anyone this long. He decided he had to go and find her, whether she would want him to or not.

* * *

Zoe screamed for help again, trying to lift her head a little to look around but failing. She had been walking back to the cabins slowly, still disheartened from Max's rejection. Suddenly, a net came out of nowhere and covered her, too heavy to push away. Zoe was slowly being squashed and had rope burns all over her bare legs where her shorts ended. The cabins were another fifteen minutes away so nobody would hear her screaming.

Her thoughts drifted to Max, as they often seemed to recently. Would he care if she was missing? Would he get help or come looking for her? Though he might have before, she wasn't sure he would after today. What if he didn't even want to be friends? Now that would be too much. Zoe rested her head on the ground in defeat and, for the first time that day, she let herself cry into the darkness.

* * *

"ZOE?" Max called out as he ran through the forest, unsure of which way to turn. He had been running around for over an hour and was almost hysterical with worry. She could be anywhere and anything could have happened to her. He shook his head, not wanting to think about it.

Guilt swam around in his mind, causing a terrible headache. If he had just listened to her, they could have left the waterfall together and this wouldn't have happened. He ran a hand through his hair and realised that this wasn't just another one of his stupid crushes, he was really falling for Zoe.

A loud sob rang through his ears, snapping him from his thoughts.

"ZOE?" he shouted towards the noise, hope flooding his body.

"Max?" Zoe's voice was music to his ears, though she sounded very surprised. Max ran towards her voice and his heart broke for her. So much that he froze. There was Zoe, lying under a huge net, probably meant to catch large animals. She must be being crushed, Max thought. He quickly ran to her side and easy threw the net aside. Zoe gasped and took in big breaths, realising how constricted her lungs were.

Forgetting what had happened earlier, Max quickly sat down and put his arms around Zoe, wanting to comfort her in anyway he could. Zoe reciprocated, locking her arms tightly around his waist and resting her head on his chest for warmth. She could feel every beat of his heart and somehow, the sound calmed her. Whether it was from emotional or physical exhaustion she didn't know but Zoe found herself falling fast asleep in Max's embrace.

Max felt Zoe's arms loosen around him and looked down at her. He chuckled inwardly when he noticed her eyes closed in slumber. Careful not to wake her, he gently picked her up bridal style, glad that she wasn't very heavy. He began to carry her back to the cabins, smiling all the way.

* * *

Once he had reached their home for the week, he managed to unlock the door and stumble inside. Tiptoeing across to the bed, Max laid Zoe on top of the bed. He glanced at the time and his eyes widened when he saw it was past midnight. Unable to stophimself, he gave Zoe a kiss on the forehead before getting in the bed next to her on the other side. Zoe instantly rolled over and rested her head back on his chest, seemingly her new favourite place.

Though he was shocked at first, he quickly recovered and wound his arm around her before falling asleep himself.

* * *

Zoe awoke slowly and didn't open her eyes. She remembered being trapped under a net but couldn't remember anything else. Her hope diminished. She had thought she was in bed but Max must have never come for her.

Then she heard a slow, steady beat right next to her ear. A heartbeat. Her heart soared and she opened her eyes. There was Max, asleep underneath her head, one arm draped around her waist. She bit her lip as she watched him sleep, slightly mesmerised.

"It's rude to stare, you know" Max said in a joking tone, still with his eyes closed. Zoe jumped before laughing, trying to hide the blush spreading onto her cheeks. Max finally opened his eyes and laughing along with her. Zoe nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before lifting her head off his chest and looking at his face.

"I'm not quite sure how I ended up sleeping half on top of you, I'm sorry," Zoe said sincerely. Max smiled at her nervousness.

"Why did you sigh after kissing me?" Max asked, dropping eye contact at the end of the sentence. Zoe raised her eyebrows in shock at the question. She searched for the right words, diplomatic ones, only to draw a blank. In the heat of the moment, she decided to just tell Max what she felt, knowing that the worst that could happen was rejection.

"Because I really like you Max, okay?" Once she had started to speak she couldn't stop, "I knew that you wouldn't feel the same and I was ashamed because I had so obviously made a fool of myself. You're probably, what, 10 years younger than me and I felt annoyed because I had let a stupid crush dictate my actions. But then I realised it isn't just a crush; I have such real, actual feelings for you that will amount to nothing because..." Max couldn't take anymore and surged forward, capturing Zoe's lips with his. Zoe hesitated with surprise before responding.

Max broke away and rested his forehead against Zoe's before she had a chance to pull away from him again. He smiled knowingly at her.

"I have such real, actual feelings for you too Miss Hanna" he whispered. Zoe's brow creased with disbelief.

"I don't just mean that I'm attracted to you..." Zoe began but Max put his finger to her lips.

"I have such real, actual feelings for you Miss Hanna in a way that I'm not familiar with. Don't get me wrong, I am definitely attracted to you," Max winked and Zoe chuckled slightly, "But what I think we could have is so, so much more than just that."

Zoe grinned at that and Max didn't think he'd seen anything so beautiful before. Max removed his forehead from hers and gave it a lingering kiss.

"You know the kids arrive in about an hour, Zo?" he smirked as she gasped and jumped out of bed.

"Dibs on first shower!" she shouted from the bathroom. Max opened his mouth to argue when he heard the bathroom door lock and the water start to flow. He shook his head and smiled, leaning back into their bed with a content sigh.

"How did I manage to meet this woman?" he wondered happily.


End file.
